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Monday, November 19, 2012

Reclaiming our History | Decoding the Ramayana: The *real* Shri Ram: Whether he was a "bad husband" and what is "Ram-Rajya"? (Part-V)

Author's
Note:Please visit -The 'Real' Ramayana/ Ram-Rajya- to read the other parts of this series, so as to be able to
fully understand or grasp the contents of this one.

*Who*really is a'fire-born'? *How*was Draupadi born?*What*was the procedure through which Shri Ram and his siblingsborn?*What* sort of humansdoes the'Ram-avatar' represent?A*horned*human-is it possible?*What*wondrous technologies were known to our ancients?

Let us now discuss as to: *what*
really the 7th avatar (of the 'Dasavatara') -
popularly known as the 'Ram-avatar' - represent or signify. We will also
discuss *who* Rishi Rishyasringa was and *why*he was named Rishyasringa (meaning: the 'deer-horned'). And what is the 'Unicorn'.

The 'Ram-avatar' does not have anything to do with Shri Ram
per se. Shri Ram has been used to depict or signify what is known
as the 'Ram-avatar' - so as to convey certain things very clearly.

The 7th avataror the'Ram-avatar'
represents yet another set of humans that walkedon earth - those not
born the natural way. That is:those that were born
out of their respective mother's womb, but not conceived
naturally.

[Note: Do read PART-III
to know *what* really the 4th 'avatar': the 'Narasimha-avatar'
and the 5th'avatar': the 'Vaman-avatar' represent or signify.]

Shri Ram and his siblings (Bharat, and the twins: Lakshman
and Shatrughna) were not born the natural way. They were not conceived naturally, though their gestation
happened in their respective mother's womb.

Shri Ram and his
siblings were very clearly born as a result of IVF therapy.

... But it was a very advanced In Vitro
Fertilization or IVF therapy/technology: where nothing was injected
into the body via an operation or through the vagina. It could be ingested!

However, there probably may havebeen some debate about whether thesehumans were 'full-fledged humans'or not and whether their presence
was 'good' for the rest of the humanity or not - amongst the people of the 2nd
era or the Treta Yug.

After Shri Ram and his brother, Shri Lakshman, proved
themselves and achieved various tasks and goals during their 14-year 'van-vaas'
(forest-stay), all doubts or debates regarding whether such individuals were
'full-fledged humans' or not, or whether such individuals were 'good' for the
rest of the humanity or not, were put to rest. [Note: Do read the
other parts of this series to understand what all they achieved. Links provided
at the top of this post.]

Humans not
born the natural way (i.e. though born out of their
respective mother's womb, but not conceived naturally)
were accepted as 'full-fledged humans' and as 'good' for society: after Ram,
Lakshman, Sita, et al proved their caliber.

And *this*
would have undoubtedly helped childless couples. It would have also contributed
towards bettering the lot of women, who otherwise have to bear most of the
brunt or stigma - for childlessness. And Ram was a benevolent ruler; he looked
after his people with filial affection. All this would have undoubtedly
contributed towards: Ram-Rajya.

Our ancients used
camouflaged language (metaphors, imagery) and coded texts in their writings,
but a little attention to the Ramayan makes the above (i.e. IVF therapy)
very evident.

However, instead
of deciphering our ancient texts, we have mired ourselves in reams and reams of
cobweb: conspiracy theories:soap-opera-style, multiple remixes and TRP-linked
narratives. [TRP:'coz whether on the small-screen, the big-screen or viathe
various stage-plays and wandering theatres, the main purpose has always been to attract the audience,
for greater return on investment (RoI). And its not rocket science to figure out
what happens then: unlimited spice and tadka.]

The narrative
says: Dasaratha had three queens (Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra) yet no
offspring or heir. [It is a possibility that he married multiple times in order
to beget a son or heir, and this may have been an accepted practice in
the 2nd era - the Treta Yug.]

But given that he had three
queens and still no offspring indicate that the medical condition lay with
Dasaratha. And no doubt he would have been a very worried man, since after him
there would be a succession issue.

We are also told that once on a hunting trip (on the
banks of the Sarayu River), in the fading light of the dusk he mistook a young
man for a deer (because of the gurgling sound of the pitcher that was being
filled with water.) This young man, Shravan Kumar, wasthe son of
a venerated and aged sage, Rishi Shantanu. As soon as he was hit,
Shravan cried out in agony. Dashrath realized his mistake and ran to the young boy.
He found Shravan badly hit in the chest and lying in a pool of blood. Dashratha
was immensely pained at the sight and sought forgiveness. Shravan forgave him,
but asked him to take the pitcher of water to his aged and blind parents and
quench their thirst. He died soon after.

The remorseful Dasaratha did as told. He narrated the
events to the elderly Rishi and his wife. They would, understandably, have
been extremely shocked and heart-broken.

Here, the narrative tells us that they 'cursed' Dasaradh:
that he too would die of 'putrashouk' (i.e. grieving for a son); and thereafter
they (the blind, elderly sage and his wife) too ascended to heaven.

All this is *clearly*camouflaged language, filled with
imagery.

I interpret it as: After having inadvertently killed the
young Shravan, a remorseful Dasaratha located the blind sage and his wife and
narrated the events. The shocked and grief-stricken parents then severely
and harshly chastised him. [*This* has been meant as 'curse'.]

[Note: 'Curse' is a metaphor that has been
used several times in our ancient texts, essentially to indicate: physical
abuse - something that we have discussed in some detail in Part-I.That is: Rishi Kahoda beating his pregnant wife, as a result of which,
their son was born deformed in eight places. And therefore, he was named: Ashtavakra.

'Curse' has also been used in our ancient texts to
indicate 'severe and harsh chastisement'.

In Raja Dasaratha's case, the metaphor of 'curse'
has been used to indicate the second option, i.e. 'severe and harsh
chastisement'.]

Dasaratha would have begged forgiveness since whatever had
happened had happened inadvertently. He had not done it knowingly or consciously.
After hearing out his pleas, the elderly sage and his wife may have been
convinced of his innocence and as a result forgiven him too.

Raja Dasaratha may have then shared his worry: that of
not having an heir or offspring - with them.

And the aged Rishi Shantanuprobably directed
him to Rishi Vashisht (also: Vasistha Muni) with the full assurance that
Rishi Vasistha knew of or possessed a remedy. Thereafter, Rishi
Shantanu and his wife very likely passed away due tocardiac arrest as a result
of severe shock and grief. [*This* has been indicated by: their ascension
to heaven.]

[Note: Rishi, Muni, Maharshi, Brhmharshi,
etc essentially were titles by which learned, venerable and knowledgeable
persons were known and referred to - in ancient times. The titles differed,
based on the level or the amount of knowledge they possessed and may have been upgraded,
once they gathered more knowledge.

Killing a learned person (or a sage and their offspring) may
not have been considered a good thing to do, as per the accepted norms in the
earlier eras - the Satya/Sat/Krita Yug (1st era), the Treta Yug (2nd
era) and the Dvapar Yug (3rd era).

Also: notice the similarity between 'shock' and 'shouk' [as
in: 'putrashouk' - that we discussed earlier.]

Now, lets get back to where we left off.

We talked of Rishi Vashisht knowing of or possessing
a 'remedy'. Now, *what* could that remedy be?

Here the narrative tells us: that soon after all this (i.e.
his encounter with Rishi Shantanu) Raja Dashratha performed two yajnas
(also: yagya, yaga or ritual) with the help of Rishi Rishyasringa
on the advice of Maharshi Vashistha. One was the 'Ashwamedha'; the other
was the 'Putrakameshti'.

We will concentrate on the 2nd one, i.e. the'Putrakameshti'. So far: it
has been thought to be a 'ritual' or 'yagna' performed to beget a son or heir. [Putrakameshti
= Putra + kameshti, i.e. to beget a son.]

The narrative says: As the conclusion of the 'Yagna' drew
near, 'Agni' sprang out from the 'yagnakunda' and handed Dashratha a pot of 'kheer',
advising him to distribute it among his queens.

Here is clearly a bunch of imagery. [Until now, we have
mistakenly and literally taken 'Agni' as 'fire'. But none of our ancient
texts can be taken at face value.] Here's why:

'Agni' = a metaphor to indicate the 'outcome' of a
laboratory/scientific/technological/or medical process.

'Yagna' = a metaphor used to indicate a laboratory
or a technological process per se.

'Yagnakunda' = a metaphor to indicate the 'specifics'
of any laboratory or technological process. That is: the 'instruments' or the 'method'
used or employed in any laboratory or technologicalprocess.

The Mahabharat (the itihasa or the history of the
3rd era, the Dwapar Yug) says that Draupadi emerged from 'agni',
along with her brother, Dhristadyumna - from the 'yagnakunda'.

This can be explained as: 'Agni' signifies purity. And anyone
born out of a purely laboratory/scientific/medical process that does not require
even the gestation to happen within the womb of the mother or even of a
surrogate mother, was completely 'agni-born' or of 'pure-birth', in a manner of speaking. [It can perhaps also be euphemistically termed as: virgin-birth.]

Both Dhristadyumna and Draupadi were totally 'agni-born'
or 'fire-born'. That is: there was no human element - whatsoever - involved in their
birth process. They were (completely) *born* as a result of a very advanced
scientific or medical process held in a laboratory.

Now, what could *this* process or technology be?
Very obviously: stem cells and 'cloning technology'.

But a very advanced cloning technology that the world has
still not seen in the current era (i.e. 5000 years into the 4th era,
the Kali Yug.)

The Mahabharata clearly talks
about very advanced technology including some awesome medical technology - stuffs
that the modern world is as yet unaware; or has discovered only recently (and that
too in lesser forms.)

In the Mahabharat, when they
talk about the *birth* of the Kauravas, or more precisely when the manner
of their birth is described, I think they are again referring to a very advanced
medical science, where babies need not be gestated in the womb of the mother or
a surrogate mother. It can happen outside the body!

The Kauravas were born as a result
of a 'test-tube' process, where even their gestation happened in *pitcher-shaped incubators*,
outside their mother's womb.And given that Gandhari "gave birth to a hard piece of lifeless flesh" after "two years" of remaining "pregnant", one cannot rule out the involvement of *stem cells* and cloning technology. Advanced 'Parthenogenesis' is a possibility as well.

... And to think that we
possessed all this knowledge and technology with us - thousands of years ago! In
the 2nd (Treta) and 3rd eras (Dvapar) itself!! So, what a
wondrous land was ancient India then!!!

Now, consider Jarasandha: he was clearly a conjoined baby. The
Rakshashi, Jara, separated the useless part (obviously via a surgical or medical
procedure)... and hence Jarasandha lived. [Rakshashi = a female cannibalistic human; though some would have been non-cannibalistic too, since say: all modern humans are not non-vegetarians.]

All these should be pointers enough for us to seriously
re-think all the self-proclaimed titles of: 'modern', 'developed', 'scientifically
advanced', 'technological advancement', and the like that we have bestowed upon ourselves. Even the so-called 'developed' world is not a patch on our ancients.

... And therefore, it is a small wonder that our ancient itihasa
or history have been turned into 'epics', 'mythologies' and even 'scriptures'. What ho?! :)

We *must* take a re-look at our ancient texts; we *must* stop
taking them at face value or ignoring them as 'epics', 'mythologies', and the
like.

Lets get back to the Ramayan and the birth procedure
of Shri Ram and his siblings.

As you can see: Shri Ram and his siblings were *not*
completely 'agni-born' or 'fire-born' (i.e. of 'pure-birth' or 'virgin-birth'.)

*This* can be concluded from the appearance of the
word (rather: metaphor) of 'kheer' (literally: a popular sweet-dish).

The narrative says: As the conclusion of the 'Yagna' drew
near, 'Agni' sprang out from the 'yagnakunda' and handed Dashratha a pot of 'kheer',
advising him to distribute it among his queens.

Therefore, Shri Ram and his siblings were *very clearly* born as a
result of IVF therapy (and since 'kheer' has been the metaphor used for it, the therapy probably wasoral, meaning: everything was ingested.)

... So, it was very clearlya very
advanced In Vitro Fertilization or IVF therapy/technology: where
nothing was injected into the body via an operation or through the vagina. It
could be ingested! [As can be inferred from the metaphor of 'kheer'.]

We can also infer that: Rishi Rishyasringa and Maharshi Vashistha
have jointly conducted this IVF therapy.

Rishi Rishyasringa was so-named since he is said
to have possessed a 'deer-like horn' on his head. [And this too may have
contributed towards our itihasa being variously labeled as 'epics', 'mythology'
and 'myth'.]

To my mind:this 'horn' was a small growth (on his
forehead) that he may have been born with. And hence, he may have been named: Rishyasringa
or 'the deer-horned' - after this distinctive feature, just as how Rishi
'Asthavakra' was named after his distinctive feature, the eight
deformities he possessed or was born with. [Asthavakra = one who is deformed in
eight places. Rishyasringa = the 'deer-horned'. Rishya = deer, Sringa = horn. Since
he was also known as Eka-sringa, or the 'one-horned' (also:'Unicorn'),
therefore, the number of horn-like growth on his forehead would not have
exceeded one. Also: Rishi Rishyasringa would have undoubtedly contributed towards
what we today know as the: Unicorn. But was he the only one? *That*
we will discuss in the next post.]

A horned individual or human may not be common but not impossibility
either.

Here's why: This elderly Chinese
woman has been growing from her forehead a horn than
resembles a goat's:

Therefore, a horned individual or human is *not* impossibility,
right? This should explain the 'Unicorn' *myth* to some extent. What say you?

Rishi Rishyasringa may have sported a somewhat
different 'horn', one that may have been further embellished by a few smaller
sub-growths or 'sub-horns', and this may have inducedthe people to think of
a 'deer-horn'. Is that not a possibility? What do *you* think?

[Note:Pañcāla Naresh - Raja Drupad - may have commissioned the
process (euphemistically referred to as: 'yagna') for a single heir (a male or son). However, the process may have also led to a female or a daughter - Draupadi. Dhristadyumna and Draupadi therefore,
may have been twins. [Pañcāla is also known as Panchala.]

It is clearly *not* IVF therapy, since there has been no usage of metaphors like 'kheer'. However, a very advanced process involving stem cells and cloning technology cannot be ruled out (i.e. a process which was far more advanced than the one used to 'sire' the Kauravas'.) Reason being: there is no mention of 'pitcher-shaped incubators'. And hence: an even moreadvanced version of 'Parthenogenesis' is a possibility too.

Whatever it may be, one thing comes through: not
only was the medical technology at the disposal of our ancients extremely
advanced, they could also be fairly certain aboutthe gender of the child (or children) born
out of such a pure or complete medical process.

As for *how* this was possible, meaning: how could
they have had such scientific wonders at their disposal, which we, the
self-proclaimed 'advanced and developed' people do not possess - we will
discuss in our subsequent posts.]

Parting shot: It saddens me to see *how* yet another
great woman, Draupadi no less, has been made the butt of jokes, et al. Frankly,
it is not at all difficult to figure out *why* the Mahabharat War
happened? Rather:why the Mahabharata War *had to* happen? And *why* Kunti broke the
norms of that era and ensured that her daughter-in-law was married to all of
her five sons, at once. That is: that Draupadi had 5 husbands - at once.

While: the norms accepted by the society in the 3rd
era (the Dvapar Yug), allowed women to have more than one husband, it was: one
at a time. Not together. [This also clearly points towards the extremely skewed
male-female ratio prevalent in that era.] Kunti broke this norm. And
there is a very big reason behind her action; though it has absolutely nothing to do with the skewed male-female ratio of that era.

If we *only* try to understand the roles played by Shri Krishna,
Kunti and Draupadi, the entire history of the 3rd era (the Dvapar
Yug) resting within the pages of the Mahabharat - will be crystal-clear to us. We
will then very clearly figure out just *why* Krishna, Kunti and Draupadi
did what they did.

Sadly, we are keener to create soap-opera-style narratives
involving them. And this has landed our heritage and us in
quicksand. As for Draupadi, we have turned this great woman into someone that 'lusted'
after Karna! No, she did not. There was no 'revenge' involved either. And neither was Kunti the scheming or tragic
figure that various people and entities have collectively and concertedly turned her into. It is us, thatlustily debate
over: who Draupadi loved the most, whether her husbands, the
Pandavas, fought amongst themselves (over her) and the like...!

Frankly: all of this and much more (i.e. all of the various 'topics'
for intense 'debates'), is a figment of our collective drought of imagination
and propensity towards learning by rote. It isalso indicative of the direction modern humanity
has taken. Sadly.

(Do stay tuned…)

Picture: The popular depiction of the 7th
avatar(of the 'Dasavatara') - the 'Ram-avatar'. A Chinese woman
with a horn on her forehead; a horn that resembles a goat's horn.

3 comments:

Do accept mu apologies for the privious comment.. I should have read this first.. Bt u know.. Its hard to bottle down the excitement at times.. :-P

also, since you meNtion mind boggling tech. In our ancient india, i am at this very moment involved in writing a novel on the same them.. Only i am not concentrated on india (for it seems illogical that only india should have all tech. While elsewhere savagery prevails) but the whole world.

The question here, however is, in what time frame do u place these incidents? If u follow the yug model.. It's too far back in time. We would find outselves contemporaries to dino people.. ;-) and if we take the given model of time.. That is at max. 5000 years, it is too less time for all that to happen.. Compared with contemporary texts epic of gilgamesh and beowolf.. And old testament even.. Or the hegigrapics of pyramids. There are no traces of any such tech.

Tho i own that was no era of globalisation .. Bt if my of our 'myths'can find resonance in their cultures, why not this too?? The virgin births did..

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... Roshmi, the author of "Musings of an Unknown Indian", travels @ the speed of thought and has wandering feet too. She was mesmerized by the ruins of Hampi and the Badami Cave Temples. A green thumb, she does her bit for the environment. Her blog is an eclectic mix of tales, poly-tricks, history, art/culture, books, movies, Suppandi, Nasruddin Hodja, Chanakya, sports, micro-fiction, Swami Vivekananda, Tagore and his songs, the ragas, poetry, Omar Khayyám/Rubáiyát, and more. Much more! Posts that keep the gray cells from graying and tickle the funny bone too! :)

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